Break For Me
by Racharuchan
Summary: Inuyasha is captured by Naraku. Kagome is safe in her own time with shards of the jewel, his friends are trying to save him, but will Inuyasha's will be broken by Naraku before his friends can free him? Let the battle of wills commence!
1. Choices

Inuyasha struggled against the shackles that held him. He'd been at it for what felt like hours. The simple metal bindings were nothing, they shouldn't be able to hold him, and for a few moments he'd been baffled by his predicament - until he'd noticed the sutras wrapped around the bands, the chains and even the plates that bolted them to the wall. He growled his frustrations, and the moments before his capture made him feel sick - sick because he was so angry at himself for falling for such a trap.

_Keh, it's my own fault. _He berated himself silently, looking over his shoulder at the sunlight that spilled into his cell. He could easily leap the distance from the floor to the window, if he wasn't chained up.

Lingering too long in Naraku's miasma had cost him. Usually he could feel the effects begin to seep into him. He'd lost his cool however, and hadn't realized how strongly the poison had affected him until he was too weak to stand. Inuyasha had sent Kagome away on Shippo's bloated pink form, telling the demon to make sure she returned to her own time so she'd be safe.

Naraku knew that the only one capable of following Kagome to her own time was Inuyasha, and he couldn't kill the hanyou if he wanted the shards she'd be taking back with her. Which, hopefully, would give Shippo enough time to get Sango and Miroku to help free him, or let him free himself.

Inuyasha watched as the burn marks on his hands began to heal. He pressed his feet against the stone wall and pushed away with all his strength, trying to release the chains from the wall, and thusly himself from this cell. Grabbing the chains had proved foolish, as the sutras had torn through his flesh and sent flesh searing pain through his arms. Without his demon strength he couldn't hope to break his bindings, but unless he was mortal he couldn't put enough oomph behind his attempts to have it matter.

The whole area stunk of Naraku and death. He hadn't seen anything on his way into his cell, but he could smell the stench of miasma and rotted bodies. Even with the sunlight that came into his cell he couldn't smell the scent of wildflowers or life - just him.

The sound of approaching footsteps put him on edge. His golden eyes practically bore holes through the heavy metal door as the lock creaked its release and the rusted metal scraped against the stones. His entire body tensed, his claws begging for release from his bindings, to tear the flesh from the bastard that stood in the doorway before him.

"Naraku," he growled, almost spitting the name in disgust.

"Inuyasha. I hope you're finding these accommodations pleasant enough?" Naraku replied, that cold mirthless smile on his face.

Inuyasha's reply came in the form of him piercing the flesh of his palm, and attacking Naraku.

"Blades of blood!" Inuyasha growled, pleased to learn that the sutras that bound him didn't suffocate his demonic aura completely.

The fruitless attack broke apart against the cold man's shield, and with a wave of his hand Inuyasha's bindings retreated into the wall, slamming him against the cold stone harshly. The hanyou's arms were now splayed outward, pinned tightly against the wall. Despite his situation he glared defiantly at his captor.

Pieces of demons slithered across the cold stone floor and began to wrap themselves around Inuyasha's feet, crawling slowly up his legs. He tried to shake them off, the wet slimy feeling making his stomach churn, but as he'd manage to cast off one or two, three or four would take their place. They stopped as they reached his knees, and he grit his teeth against the pain as he felt the minor demons pierce his flesh, pinning his feet and calves to the floor and walls.

He growled at Naraku through his pain, damned if he'd let the bastard know just how bad it felt to be impaled this way. The form of the dead human Lord moved toward him, the cold crimson eyes of his enemy obviously enjoying this setting. Slender fingers reached out and traced a line from the center of the hanyou's chest up to his necklace. Naraku ran his fingers over the beads, seeming to admire the feel of them.

The closeness was making Inuyasha very uncomfortable. He couldn't read Naraku's intentions on a good day, and given his situation there was nothing he could do about it if the coward decided to kill him right then and there.

_As long as Kagome's safe_, _that's all that matters_. He held onto that thought desperately, using it to strengthen himself.

Crimson eyes locked onto his golden ones, and he managed to glare back unflinchingly. The slender fingers that had been stroking his necklace began to wrap around his neck. Inuyasha paid them no mind, baring his fangs at the soulless beast before him.

Slowly, the grip tightened.

"Baka," Naraku berated quietly. "You can't keep her safe forever. Before your friends can save you, the foolish young girl will become worried about you." His grip on the hanyou's neck tightened gradually while he spoke.

"Don't… you touch… her," Inuyasha growled, struggling to breathe. Metal shrieked against itself, despite the length of chain being pulled into the wall he was struggling enough to grind the cuffs into the plates that held him against the cold stones.

"She'll return here of her own freewill in days, weeks, or months," Naraku assured him as Inuyasha struggled to breathe, his clawed hands fighting to break free. "And will either find you a broken, obedient version of your former self," he stated, emphasizing his point by gently stroking the captured half-breed's face gently. "… Or dead."

"I'll…. Never…" The hanyou struggled, not finding enough air in his lungs to continue his statement.

Naraku's eyes said even more than his words, indicating that he truly didn't care which was the outcome. His grip on Inuyasha's throat was far too tight for the half-breed to breathe. Spots began to explode in his field of vision, and his head swam. Even as the suffocating feeling threatened to swallow him whole he managed to glare at Naraku until his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he went limp.

Naraku grunted, turning and leaving the cell, taking the tendrils that had impaled Inuyasha in place back into his body, and leaving the open wounds to close on their own.


	2. Pain

The chains began to release him from the wall again and he let his arms drop to his side. Running his tongue over his teeth he could feel his lost tooth beginning to grow back already. Kagura had come in to feed him and he'd fired off his smart mouth at her, nearly biting her hand off.

He hadn't known she had such physical strength, and she assured him the only reason she hadn't broken his jaw was because she was under orders to make sure he ate. Of course, he could chose not to eat, it was his call, but she warned him that there was no telling when, or if, he'd be offered food again.

Grudgingly, Inuyasha had accepted the food. If he had the intention of escaping he was going to need to maintain his strength, and if he couldn't accomplish that feat soon, he might not get the chance. He sat down cross-legged, folding his arms.

His options seemed pretty slim at this point. Breaking himself free… wasn't impossible, but he wasn't sure he could strong arm his way out of his chains. Naraku wanted him broken, obedient.

He shivered.

The idea of even pretending to bend to that bastard's will was enough to make him nauseous. He had been right about one thing, if he didn't find a way to get himself out of this, Kagome was certain to come back from her time. He grumped to himself and stood up. Sitting around thinking wasn't going to get him free, he needed to take action.

Standing up he turned and faced the wall, crossing his arms at the same time, he took a deep breath and dug his feet into the ground. He grabbed onto the chains, gritting his teeth against the pain that tore through his flesh and muscles and pulled with all his strength.

Clawed feet bit deep into the stone floor, cracking the flat rocks, his muscles bulged and threatened to tear from the strain. Red began to seep into his eyes, his demonic blood lending some strength to what had become a bodily desperate situation. His hands burst into blue flames, and his grit teeth opened as he could no longer hold back the screams of pain and frustration.

Collapsing to the floor, he panted against the pain. He twisted himself back around and leaned his back against the wall. Sweat rolled down his face and he grit his teeth against the linger pain of his charred flesh.

"Damn," he swore. "I didn't even feel the plates loosen." He leaned his head back and looked up at the light coming into his cell. It couldn't help but to look up, something about the rays of light reminded him of Kagome. He closed his eyes, and fell into a fitful sleep. He intended to try again, but he was going to need to heal first.

* * *

Inuyasha woke with a start, banishing the horrid nightmares that had plagued him while he tried to rest and recover his strength. He took a few deep breaths to calm his pounding heart, placing his hand over his heart. Looking down he realized he was shirtless.

He looked around the room, but it was empty. He hadn't slept -that- heavily, how had anyone come in and remove his top? Had he really gotten that weak just from a couple days' exposure to some low grade sutras?

The sound of footsteps caught his attention. He growled as Naraku stepped into the room, crouched against the wall as though he was ready to spring forth and strike. His mostly healed hands tensed as the man of his nightmares stepped closer to him, that same cold smirk on his face.

"I wonder, Inuyasha, if you will experience any kind of true rest during your time here," he mused. The hanyou didn't reply, he just kept his eyes on the other as he walked from one side to the other. It then dawned on him what Naraku was doing - he was checking him out! The look in his eyes was one of hunger - and while Inuyasha could care less about being eaten, it was a different kind of hunger in Naraku's eyes.

"Uncomfortable?" Naraku purred as Inuyasha's chains began to slowly retreat into the wall, pulling him back against the cold stone and pinning his arms outward. The deep growl in Inuyasha's throat turned into a dangerous snarl as Naraku's hand neared his face. "You are. Good."

Inuyasha's body shivered involuntarily as Naraku's palm pressed against the side of his face. He clenched his fists as Naraku drew nearer to him, acting as though he was going to kiss him! Fangs flashed in the dim light and blood flowed from Naraku's hand.

Inuyasha spit the blood onto the ground, growling at Naraku. The baboon cloaked male looked down at his hand nonplused.

"I will tame that fiery spirit of yours," Naraku promised darkly.

* * *

The chains loosened as Inuyasha slumped to his knees. Deep gashes covered his body, streaks of his own blood mixed with sweat painted his flesh. He teetered on the edge of consciousness, breathing heavily as Naraku loomed over him. The whip-like appendages slithering around him began to retreat back into his body.

Inuyasha's one eyes was held shut by the cut above it, the blood sliding down his face and gumming up. He wasn't going to die, he knew it, but the pain was hard to ignore. He'd lost too much blood, and didn't have the strength to stand. How long Naraku had spent beating him with those barbed appendages of his was anyone's guess.

Naraku looked down at him. He'd beat the half-breed for hours, and not once did he cry out in pain. Not once did he beg for the assault to end. His pain had been obvious in other ways, his body moving instinctively to protect himself. A small trickle of blood had slipped from his mouth as he'd been gritting his teeth against crying out so hard that his gums had started to split.

And even after all that the gold eyes that glared up at him held such defiance. It overflowed with the promise of returning every moment back to him.

Naraku knelt down to better look into the golden orbs. "My promise to you, Inuyasha, is that this will be nothing compared to what I will do to you. I will break you. I will own you," he promised him, wiping blood off his possession's face. "I will show you pain and humiliations like you do not even know exist."

Inuyasha lashed out, swinging his fist with all the strength could muster. The chain's pulled short, stopping his fist a mere inch from Naraku's face. The hanyou growled, the red seeping into his eyes as he strained against the chains.

"Impressive, Inuyasha." Naraku stood, and stepped aside, allowing Inuyasha to see Kanna. The demon that was made from nothing stepped toward the snarling half-breed even as his demonic aura grew. She placed a sutra on his chest, sending pain tearing through his body, he finally screamed, roaring more in anger than pain, as the small piece of paper sapped more of his demonic energy.

Blood fell to the ground in quiet drops. Inuyasha leaned further forward, not even able to stay up on his knees any longer.

"D-damn you… Nara…" His golden eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out on the floor.

"Dream well, my pet."


	3. Disgust

Daylight. Always that beam of sunlight pierced his cell. Always. No matter when he woke, when he slept, there was always sunlight. It was tearing at him more than Naraku's visits. It looked like sunlight, it had to be sunlight, but it never changed, never wavered. It was just that constant beam. It bugged him, but at least it gave him something to think about. He could stare at the light it created in his cell for hours, letting his thought s go blank.

His muscles ached. His skin itched from healing almost constantly. He was never given a long enough reprieve to try pulling the chains from the wall again. Always, he lacked the strength. How long had he been down here? Days? Weeks? It didn't feel like it could've been weeks. His sense of time was screwed up, he knew that much, but weeks? Days… maybe just two. It was hard to say how long he was allowed rest, and even harder to guess how swiftly he was healing from his injuries.

A hole through his abdomen had taken a long time to heal, mostly because of the poison that had accompanied it. But Naraku wasn't harming him that deeply. He was covering him with gashes and bruises - surface wounds in the hanyou's mind - things that while numerous, healed quickly enough. They were beginning to take their toll, however. He caught himself wishing that the beatings would stop. He'd nearly bitten through his lip this last time to keep from crying out.

Fresh pain laid on top of old wounds, making it worse. Much worse than he'd ever expected. He couldn't give into Naraku, but he couldn't let himself be shattered completely. He had people to protect, friends to fight alongside with. Locating Naraku's castle was no easy feat, he hadn't expected a rescue to come soon, if at all. He'd always known he would have to rely somewhat heavily on his own strength.

But his own strength was failing. The beam robbed him of his sense of time, but he knew what night would inevitable fall. A pang of fear tore through him, one he quickly shifted to feelings of anger. Anger he could use, anger he could harness - fear was a worthless emotion.

He dug his feet into the ground, the red seeping into his eyes. Growling he didn't grasp the chains, but kept his arms tucked to his sides, ignoring the pain as the cuffs of his shackles bit into already raw skin. The sensation from this was nothing compared to the pain of actually grabbing the shackles. His irises turned blue as the stripes slid along his cheeks. He needed all the strength he could muster, even if it meant losing himself to the demon within him. Staying here would likely -

He screamed as Kanna appeared and pressed a strip of paper to his stomach. The markings of his demonic heritage retreated, and he was simply his half-demon self, panting as he knelt in front of the little demon girl. She let him gaze into her mirror, which showed him a bird's eye view of the two of them standing in the cell.

Now he better understood why the girl chose the time she had to come into his cell. It wasn't mere coincidence. He could rip the chains free using his demonic strength - if he could be given enough time to do so. Now, he knew that was true for sure, since twice Kanna had halted him from tapping into his full demon side. Even if he escaped in that form, there was no guarantee he'd live long on the outside. With Kagome back in her own time there was no one to reverse the effects. Still, better to die a mindless beast than become Naraku's slave.

Naraku entered in behind Kanna, and Inuyasha's shoulders slumped. He couldn't help it, and he was too tired to care what satisfaction it brought the cold man. His chains retreated into the wall, forcing him onto his feet and pressing his bare back against the cold stone. He stared at Naraku still, though anyone could tell some of his defiance had dwindled. It wasn't that he hated the beast any less, it was simply he lacked the energy to muster that much fiery defiance.

"Calming down a bit I see," Naraku purred, letting one layer of his kimono slide to the floor. "Good."

He stepped toward Inuyasha as Kanna exited the room silently. Inuyasha found he couldn't back up far enough when Naraku let another layer of his clothing fall to the floor. He'd felt the man's fingers linger over his wounds before, too lost in a haze of pain to care. But even then the bastard had been fully clothed.

"I told you, Inuyasha, I will show you pain -and- humiliation. You're resistant to the pain I've inflicted, you're used to it. The countless battles, the endless commands from that priestess. It's no wonder I could inflict pain upon you for hours and get almost no reaction."

Another layer fell to the floor, and now only a thin layer of silk stood between Inuyasha and Naraku as the collection of demons pressed his chest against the hanyou's. Cold crimson eyes stared into golden orbs. Orbs that were showing their first signs of fear since his capture.

"Y-you're sick…" Inuyasha grimaced as a finger trailed lightly down his chest.

"Perhaps," Naraku replied in a whisper, leaning toward Inuyasha's face. "I promise you though, this will still hurt."

Inuyasha turned his head to the side, determined to keep the twisted freak from… from. Ugh, he couldn't even bring himself to think it! The idea was making his stomach swirl, his body tensed when he felt warm breath against his neck.

Inuyasha swung his head as swiftly as he could, crashing into Naraku's temple. Fighting against his own feeling of vertigo, he tensed his arms, lifting himself up and slamming both of his feet into Naraku's chest.

Naraku straightened, wiping a thin trail of blood from his lip. His cold eyes glared angrily at the hanyou for but a moment, and then the sickening sound of slithering demon parts moving across the floor filled the small cell.

Inuyasha's heart sank into his stomach. However long Naraku made this last, whatever he did to him, he wouldn't be able to fight back. The dog demon shut his eyes, willing his mind to go somewhere else, anywhere else. He wanted only to block out whatever it was Naraku was going to do to him. Please, let him think of Kagome, of his friends - anything, anything at all except for the sensation of cold wet flesh sliding up his leg.


	4. Shatter

Denied sleep. Denied food. Denied movement. Inuyasha sagged painfully in his bindings, his chains were pulled tight against the wall and had been for longer than his quivering mind could comprehend. His lips were chapped so bad they were bloodied, dried blood caked his body as every moment of torment was left upon him. The wounds healed, but the blood stayed.

The only clothing he was still allowed to wear was white cloth wrapped around his loins - giving him a false sense of security. But the cloth was so soaked with blood it looked more like his fire rat robes and less like underclothing. And was easily removed.

He shivered, and willed the events of the his nightmares out of his mind. Only once had Naraku set him in the courtyard, striped bare, surrounded by demons. There had been pain, and pain alone he could handle, but the violation… the closeness… he couldn't remember it clearly, and he thanks the gods for that. He'd willed his mind somewhere else, thinking of his friends, his mother, and even the father he never knew.

He was so ravenous with hunger he knew he had to have been captive for quite some time. The others must not have been able to find him. Kagome would come looking for him soon, if she wasn't back on this side of the well already.

Were his legs shaking? They had been, he'd barely had the strength to keep himself standing, and if not for his chains he would've collapsed to the floor long before now. Now they just ached, and were going numb.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard the door to his cell open. He didn't even look up until he saw two small feet and a white kimono step into his line of sight.

Kanna stood in front of him with her mirror and the scene that played out before him raised bile into his throat. His friends were fighting Naraku - all of them, even Kagome. They were fighting, and losing. He could tell from their appearance. They were panting, and clutching their own wounds.

Naraku's eyes looked into Inuyasha's through the mirror, and the hanyou knew before it happened, that his friends were going to die. Naraku slaughtered them without mercy, delighting in extending their pain for as long as he could. Twisting their bodies and compelling them to beg.

Their screams of pain were driving him mad, he struggled in his bindings violently, screaming in agony with his friends as he tore muscle and fractured bone trying to get free. It was three little words that sapped his strength, three words that despite barely being whispered had made it through his agony and shattered his resolve.

"Forgive me… Inuyasha…"

The hanyou screamed. The bestial roar shook the stones of his cell room, tears of blood streaked his face mixed with true tears of sorrow. His skin tore as his muscles bulged. The metal plates groaned, and the sutras burst into flames, disappearing.

Inuyasha fell to the floor, panting and bloody on his hands and knees, tears dripping from his face onto the floor. The sound of water beating against the stone was the only sound in the cell. He was free of his shackles, free before the new moon, free before he'd been broken by Naraku.

He was free. He was defeated.

He hadn't been strong enough to free himself when it meant something. He hadn't been able to be there for his friends. For Kagome. He'd let them all down, he'd let the woman he loved die all over again. He should've swallowed his pride and bowed his head to Naraku, he should've done anything in his power to protect his friends, even at his own expense.

He was free, but even as Kanna left, leaving the door to his cell open, he found he couldn't move. His Kimono and his sword, sat out in the hall. Easily within his grasp, but he could not will his body to move. He could not will…

Inuyasha laid on the floor. That's what this feeling was. He'd lost his will.

-------

Gomen, this one was my shortest chapter. Don't lose heart though, the story's still in progress =3 (I'm evil, but even *I* wouldn't end a story at THIS point)


	5. Too Late

Blood. His world was blood, his life was blood. The scent filled his nostrils, soaked into his skin and was caked onto his clothes. He couldn't taste food, water didn't sate him. There was no life in his eyes, no fire in his movements. His sword obeyed him more from the bond they'd created beforehand than through the deeds he was doing now.

_No! You should shut up and let me protect you! I don't care about them. If only I'd taken care of Hiten sooner, I could have saved Kagome and Shippo._

It didn't matter. None of it did. Naraku commanded, he obeyed. Why should it be any different? It was too late to make anything different. He couldn't save his friends, he didn't deserve to have a will of his own. His world was dark, blank, emotionless. It was too late, he couldn't feel anything anymore. Nothing except the great emptiness and cold.

He was a menace, feared by both humans and demons. Shards of the Shikon Jewel gleamed in his forehead, the black light of taint shimmering in the sunlight. Not that it mattered. The shards were merely a back up, he had lost the will to go against Naraku. Lost the will to interact with the world around him. The sun's rays didn't reach him, they couldn't pierce his dark world. They couldn't warm him. They came too late.

Every human he slew, every demon that fell to his sword, it held her face. It didn't matter what the being actually looked like, they were all her. Over and over again he not only let her down, he slew her with his hands. He deserved it, he wasn't worth forgiveness, it was too late for him to be forgiven. He knew they were already dead, knew they were gone from his life. His only relief, slim though it was, was thinking that if they died by his hands at least it would've been painless.

A trail of corpses rotted in the hot sun behind him. His sword dragged a heavy groove into the soil, marking the path he took. He continued, eating and drinking just enough to keep his body moving, following the single command given to him by Naraku. He didn't chase after those that ran, but it was already too late for the ones incapable to getting out of his way.

_I like you just the way you are Inuyasha. I'm going to use the jewel to become a full demon, and that's that! I think you're fine as a half-demon. I can't condone you using the Jewel to become a demon, that's all I'm saying. The Jewel came from my village, we gave it to a priestess to purify it. She purified that shard just by touching it! _

Kill. Slaughter. Cause fear in the hearts of all those living. Walk the lands bearing his mark - a spider burned into his back by Naraku's own hands - and make sure all know that the one true power belongs to the cold demon who commands him. Let those within your sight understand, let them know, that it's too late. They too shall die.

His feet cracked and bled, and he paid them no mind. His hands were calloused and bloody, but his grip on the hilt stayed firm. There were no marks of his true demonic heritage on his face. His eyes were gold though there was no signs of a soul within them. His skin was filthy, but unmarked.

_I'm telling you, I'm not her. And I'm saying you have to be. 'Cuz there's no other way you could smell so... My name is Kagome. Ka-Go-Me. Inuyasha, your patience with this creature is astonishing to me. You protect her, indulge her, even seem to love her. Inuyasha, will you let me stay? Please… Inuyasha… Forgive me…_

Kagome. He never told her. She should've known, she probably did. She seemed to have an ability to read his thoughts, so she had to know. But, it didn't matter, he should've told her. Before… he should've told her before it was too late. He should've learned, he should've known. That world was beyond him. Only in his mind did he feel anything, and it barely reached his consciousness.

Too late. She was dead. Gone. He couldn't bring her back, he couldn't even beg Sesshomaru to use his sword. Her body was gone, her soul had already moved on. He was broken, and defeated, there was no way his elder brother would even think to help him in this condition. Though maybe… Maybe Sesshomaru would free him from this darkness, release him so that he could be with his friends once again. No… his brother would not take pity on him.

It didn't matter. It was too late. So much was lost, so many things were gone from his sight. It was too late.

_You shed tears for me. Cried for me. Kagome, if it's not to much trouble, can I lay in your lap?_

A man fell to his knees, pleading and begging, speaking of his family, his love, pleading for his life. It was too late. The fool should've run as soon as his red kimono had come into view. He should've knocked those weaker to their knees as he ran, the only way to slow the vile demon that wander the lands, slaying all in his path.

_I need you with me Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?_

He hadn't. He'd stayed to see that his family had the chance to get clear. It was too late. His sword was raised over his head, the man looked familiar, but it didn't matter. They all had her face, or his face - everyone he slew looked like his dearest comrades. They were dead, it was too late. Silent, single tears fell from each of his eyes as he brought his sword down on the man in front of him.

"Osuwari!"

The voice pierced his darkness. His eyes cleared, but all he saw was dirt before his face slammed into the ground.


	6. Finale

Darkness and pain all around him. He welcomed it, embraced it. It was all that he deserved. All that he had earned. He let it absorb him. It circled him like some wild animal, stalking a wounded prey. The folds of darkness shrouded him. Engulfed him. Held him as a slave to-

"Inuyasha?"

That voice, he knew it. He knew it in his heart and soul. His very body breathed in relief just from hearing his name in that voice. But it wasn't real, since that day the sound of her voice had never been real.

"Wake up Inuyasha."

"Is he gonna be alright?"

"Physically yes. I don't know about mentally."

"You purified the shards we found in him, right Kagome-chan?"

Kagome… His stomach clenched. The name brought him so much bitter sweet joy. He could see her brown eyes clearly, he could smell her scent lingering in the air. Damn the gods, why wouldn't they let him forget? Just leave him alone and let him suffer in the darkness.

"Yeah, but he's not coming around."

"He was pretty banged up when we found him. Don't feel guilty Lady Kagome, everything that was done to him had to have happened during the time you were away."

"Inuyasha wanted to protect you."

Protect… Let me protect you Kagome. Please, just give me one more chance. I swear I won't let you down, I'll give everything to keep you safe, just one more chance.

"Please," Inuyasha croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Inuyasha!"

His eyes opened slowly, the blurry colors of the world around him taking their time coming into focus. Colors… heh, he hadn't registered anything other than his red kimono for so long. The smell of ungent and medicine filled his nostrils, and even though he was stiff and sore he could feel bandages wrapped and taped over the worst of his wounds.

The familiar smell of a wooden hut came to him, as well as the scent of Kagome. _Again, _he thought dismally. _Why must that memory torment me?_

"Are you feeling better Inuyasha?"

"Keh," he started, and then his vision came into focus, and his eyes went wide. "Ka - Kagome?"

She smiled at him, that reassuring tender smile she always had. "Of course silly, who else would I be?"

Looking around he saw the others sitting nearby. Sango, Shippo, Miroku. They were all here, inside this hut, with him. He closed his eyes and shook his head, tweaking his own ear roughly. He reopened his eyes hesitantly, afraid that the visions around him weren't real.

"I'm… not dreaming? But… I saw you all die. I saw Naraku kill everyone!" He exclaimed frantically.

Worry crossed their faces, Kagome pushed him gently, urging him to lay back down and rest. "We're not dead Inuyasha, I promise."

"Whatever you saw had to be an illusion," Miroku stated. "None of us have even seen Naraku since you went missing. Shippo told us what had happened, but we couldn't find a trace of you or him."

"We searched for weeks," Sango added. "The day after Kagome came back on her own we started hearing rumors about a terrible demon."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha as he lay before her. Her eyes welled with tears. "We knew… when we heard the description."

He looked away, but she collapsed into his chest, crying as she hugged him, desperate to comfort him. "Naraku must have hurt you really bad Inuyasha. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry you had to face whatever darkness he put you through. I never would've been able to forgive myself if you had died!"

Inuyasha flinched, putting an arm on her back lightly and looking back at her. "I know."

He took one of her hands in his, and relayed as much of his story as he could to his friends. He didn't speak on everything, for much of it was hazy, and some of it he had locked his mind away while it had happened. The entire time he spoke he never relinquished his hold of Kagome's hand. He needed the reassurance, the constant warmth, the undeniable truth of her existence.

Kagome and Shippo cried quietly as he spoke. Sango bowed her head in understanding at pain both physical and mental. Miroku paled at certain points, but it was obvious the tale had one effect on all of them.

It had strengthened their resolve to remove the stain that was Naraku from this world.

Sango, Miroku and Shippo excused themselves from the hut after a Inuyasha had finished his story. They intended to use the time it took him to recover to prepare for a long journey. Even Kagome intended to stay on this side of the well for an undetermined amount of time. School could wait, she didn't want to see anyone else suffer again.

"Kagome?"

"Yeah, Inuyasha?" She inquired as he began to sit up. "Careful, you'll reopen your wounds."

"Keh, nevermind that," he grouched, getting to his knees. She moved to try and convince him to lay down again and he just embraced her in response.

His embrace was so desperate she almost cried. His fear, his pain, and the sorrow he had endured poured out of him so clearly that she could almost feel them paw at her skin seeking comfort.

"Kagome… I thought… I thought I had lost you," he started his coarse voice barely audible even in the quiet hut. "I thought I would never hear your voice or see you ever again. It… I," his voice trailed off and he released his desperate hold for a moment, looking in her eyes.

"I realized after I saw Naraku's illusion that I had let too much time go by," he saw the confusion in her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. "I love you, Kagome, and I needed to say it before it really is too late."

Kagome's face turned bright red, and tears filled her eyes.

"Y-you… You're crying?" He questioned incredulously.

She wiped some of her tears away before tackling him, forcing him to lay back down. Her head was buried in his chest as she hugged him. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, I'm just so… happy!"

"Feh, stupid woman."

"It's not stupid," she insisted, sitting up on her knees. "I was so relieved when you woke up, and you've finally said the words I've needed to hear."

"There's no reason to cry!" He insisted. He couldn't help it, whatever the reason he didn't like to see her crying.

"They're tears of joy, baka!" She snapped back.

"B-baka?! You shouldn't call someone who's injured stupid, stupid!" He growled, getting back on his knees again.

"Don't call me stupid because I was worried about you! I was only worried because I love you!"

"Good! I'm glad! See? I'm happy and I'm not crying like an idiot!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome growled. He felt his body tense, he knew that tone of voice. "Sit boy."

Outside the hut three other people who stood against Naraku cringed at the sound of the impact and then sighed. Well, at least things were back to normal.

_**~ Fin.**_


End file.
